Babygirl: Cults, Catharsis and Cookies
By Fionnuala Hughes
A24’s first major buzz of the year comes from Halina Reijn’s Babygirl (2024), an erotic thriller that has left audiences shocked – as seen by the viral “before and after seeing Babygirl” TikTok trend. But for what reason?
The film follows Romy (Nicole Kidman) – a powerhouse CEO of a robotic process automation company – who, despite seeming to have it all, is deeply dissatisfied with her sex life. This dissatisfaction leads her into a convoluted affair with a subordinate at work, one that unravels through the lens of BDSM themes, power dynamics, and self-exploration.
The film opens with our protagonist straddling her husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas), as they have sex, moaning in sync until they climax together to which arose no reactions from the other cinema-goers around me. However, when Romy sneaks off into the next room to watch porn behind her husband’s back, their attitudes seem to shift. In a dark room, she lies in an unglamorous position, engrossed in a degrading porn video that leads to her having an intense, guttural orgasm. At this moment, the theatre erupts in laughter—not in response to any sort of comedic beat from the movie, but out of their own discomfort. As more sexual interactions with Romy went on throughout the movie i.e. the dingy hotel room scene and the milk-licking scene, it was really clear what audience members found so shocking. The reactions of others in the cinema were very indicative of attitudes towards female sexuality today. There are no crazy X-rated scenes in this movie, but the film is centred around a woman going out of her comfort zone for her own pleasure, and it was this unease with Romy being authentic and vulnerable that received all these laughs and stun. It seems people are fine with a polished, performative and pornified orgasm but raw, genuine pleasure is not.
Romy’s desire for degradation and loss of control reflects her role in her professional life. She’s actively working on using AI to automate systems in their company warehouse – dehumanisation on a larger scale. Her workplace is also where she meets Samuel – an intern who immediately sussed out her inner desires and confidently asserts the role of fulfilling those desires. Throughout the film, Babygirl explores complex metaphors and themes without being overly explicit, allowing Romy’s emotions to surface through action rather than exposition. Her internal struggle is palpable – she is confused, impulsive, and in search of something unnamed. Samuel, on the other hand, remains an enigma. His actions often defy logic: Why does he initially speak to Romy the way he does when it could backfire so greatly? Why does he mock her vulnerability after initiating it? Why does he comfort Romy’s husband after being the cause of his heartache? Why does he appear overjoyed to be with her in the club despite not seemingly having any genuine love for her? If we suspend our disbelief, he can be seen as a perfect storytelling catalyst for Romy’s self-discovery and eventual satisfaction with herself and her husband.
Babygirl crafts a really lovely parallel between Romy and her daughter, Isabel. While Isabel is rebellious, self-expressive, and unapologetically herself, Romy is controlled, restrained, and outwardly polished. A pivotal moment comes when Romy catches Isabel
cheating on her girlfriend with a local girl, mirroring her own infidelity with Samuel. Unlike Romy, however, Isabel has the freedom to articulate her actions without any shame – she loves her girlfriend, but the other girl is simply a bit of fun. Later, when Romy finds Isabel smoking in the kitchen, the expected maternal scolding never comes. Instead, expectations are subverted, Romy takes the cigarette from her daughter and smokes with her. This moment signals her transformation—she’s embracing secrecy and indulgence in the same way her daughter does. Through her arrangement with Samuel, Romy has become more carefree and, for the first time, unapologetically herself.
Overall, I feel that Babygirl did not live up to the hype. I feel the major online discourse surrounding the film was indicative of how controversial it is to display women’s sexuality in a non-male-gazey way, which is unfortunately the most interesting takeaway from the film for me. It fell a bit short and at times with Romy and Samuel’s relationship felt more like a vessel for A24’s typical aesthetics and interest in the taboo rather than anything introspective. Surface level, the film felt a bit lack lustre without much catharsis however the themes it explores are worth giving it a watch even if other films have done it in a more groundbreaking way.
For those who also left Babygirl craving more, I suggest Secretary (2002), The Piano Teacher (2001) and The Duke of Burgundy (2014).
